cas@mtdcb.att.com (Cliff Stevens) (11/19/90)
Index Number: 11853 I finally think I have an idea of what chronic pain really is like! I had a bad cough from a cold and I coughed so much, so hard, I strained some muscles in my R shoulder, back, and neck. Now due to this I was in constant pain. Not terrible, I could live without pain killers, but I never felt like doing anything! It was depressing, not only from the pain, but also from the fact I never did anything because I never felt like it! ------------ Militant Handicapped Survivor! Cliff Stevens MT1E228 att!cbnewsj!ncas (908)671-7292
jqtaylor@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (John Quill Taylor) (11/26/90)
Index Number: 11965 In Index Number 11853, cas@mtdcb.att.com (Cliff Stevens) writes: >I finally think I have an idea of what chronic pain really is like! >I had a bad cough from a cold and I coughed so much, so hard, I >strained some muscles in my R shoulder, back, and neck. Now due to >this I was in constant pain. Not terrible, I could live without >pain killers, but I never felt like doing anything! > >It was depressing, not only from the pain, but also from the fact I >never did anything because I never felt like it! You have felt the *physical* aspects of chronic pain, indeed; now, endure it at random moments for twenty years of your life, and then you shall know the *psychological* aspects of chronic pain. -JQT
cas@mtdcb.att.com (Cliff Stevens) (11/28/90)
Index Number: 11975 In article <15874@bunker.UUCP>, jqtaylor@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (John Quill Taylor) writes: | | In Index Number 11853, cas@mtdcb.att.com (Cliff Stevens) writes: | | >I finally think I have an idea of what chronic pain really is like! | >I had a bad cough from a cold and I coughed so much, so hard, I | >strained some muscles in my R shoulder, back, and neck. Now due to | >this I was in constant pain. Not terrible, I could live without | >pain killers, but I never felt like doing anything! | > | >It was depressing, not only from the pain, but also from the fact I | >never did anything because I never felt like it! | | You have felt the *physical* aspects of chronic pain, indeed; now, | endure it at random moments for twenty years of your life, and then | you shall know the *psychological* aspects of chronic pain. -JQT I'm sorry, I guess I didn't express myself very well, but what I meant was that this exposed me to the psychological aspects of the problem. I don't think I claimed that the pain physically caused me any problems, but it did psychologically! ------------ Survivor! (As the National Head Injury Foundation calls us.) Cliff Stevens MT1E228 att!cbnewsj!ncas (908)671-7292
jqtaylor@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (John Quill Taylor) (12/01/90)
Index Number: 12083 Regarding my comments to Cliff about the physical and psychological aspects of chronic pain: When I read your account, I immediately became defensive when you said, "I didn't feel like doing anything." Now that I read your further explanation, I understand better what you have experienced. Let me explain why I over-reacted. Also, if you have recently become afflicted with chronic pain, or live with or know someone with chronic pain, maybe my further elaboration on the physical and psychological aspects will help you to better understand them. I'll start with a (probably poor) analogy: A few years back, after knee surgery, I spent some time in a wheelchair and a long time on crutches. I didn't "do" anything or "go" anywhere, because I never learned how. I might have felt some of the psychological aspects of a person who loses the use of his or her legs, but I knew I would walk again -- my mind was set on it. Three years later, I'm running 10Ks in under 40 minutes. I'll never be a sprinter again, but I'll never forget my week in a wheelchair. Contrast this with people who live every day without legs: They DO go places -- didn't one recently cross the United States in a wheelchair?! They have struggled and won several victories: accessable parking, elevators, access on some busses and vans, etc., and all of this is good. More still needs to be done. Now, my point: People who live with chronic pain ALSO DO THINGS! In the nineteen years since my neck injury, I have: completed high school, received a Bachelor's Degree and am entered in "Who's Who in American Colleges & Universities", gotten married, had a son, gotten divorced, have a job (writing) for eleven years that I enjoy. And I am almost always in moderate pain, and sometimes in severe pain. After twenty years of chronic pain, I am getting good at dealing with it. Although each chronic pain patient is different, many of us have the ability to succeed in life. Psychologically, chronic pain produces an entire spectrum of emotions. These can be overwhelming in the first weeks and months, but eventually one can learn and develop skills to deal with chronic pain. For those who do it day by day, minute by minute, I'm sure they will understand this. For those who have not experienced chronic pain: sometimes, it's not only worse than you imagine, it's worse than you CAN imagine; most of the time, however, for me at least, "I can handle it." --JQT